Summer Reading Programs Keep Your Kids in Top Scholastic Shape

As with any skill, a child's reading improves with practice and atrophies with disuse. Summer reading helps children retain the gains they make during the school year. Studies have shown that the benefits of summer reading, vocabulary retention and gains, improved comprehension, and increased reading speed, are greater when summer reading is done in conjunction with a summer reading program.

Summer reading doesn't need to be a summer chore; it can be part of summer fun. Each year, the Kansas City Public Library system sponsors a summer reading program. This year's theme is Get A Clue@ Your Library. The Plaza Library Kid Corner will hold a great kick-off event June 1st starting at 7:00pm in the Art Spot. During this time, kids will learn about the summer's mystery theme, get an overview of upcoming events and activities, play lots of games and win prizes. In short, they'll have fun and get excited about reading. Summer events to be held at the Plaza Library include puppet shows, a Harry Potter book release party, history and math mystery challenges to solve and more.

The library also provides programming to encourage teens to read during the summer months. In keeping with the mystery genre, their theme is You NeverKnow@ Your Library or YNK@ Your Library. Visit the Kansas City Public Library website for more information and to learn about scheduled events.

If you're looking for more help and inspiration to keep your kids reading through the summer, the Internet is full of resources. Scholastic, Inc., a major publisher of children's books sponsors a summer reading program. The program has children join on the Scholastic website and log their reading activities. The program couples philanthropy with literacy, two great lessons for kids to learn. For every four books read, a book is donated to the Reading Is Fundamental program. The Education World and American Library Association websites also provide age appropriate book lists and other resources.